Automobile bumper



Aug. 6, 1929. G. H. PALMER AUTOMOBILE BUMPER Filed oct. 25, 1928INVENTOR. l fa/@ff #9994075? ai l AITONEY.

P .atented Aug. 6,` A1929.

1,723,366 l' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

i GEORGE HPALMER, 0F LANSING, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR 'IO :BAIL STEELPRODUCTS COMPANY, F LANSING, MICHIGAN, yA COBIORATION 0F MICHIGAN.

AUTOMOBILE BUMPER Application led October 25,' 1928. Serial No. 314,907.

This invention relates to automobile bumpers, and has to do particularlywith the clamps for holding the bumper bars in assembled position.

It has become the vogue to plate various trimmings on automobiles, andthis has included the bumper f'bars. and bumper clamps. A. veryrecenttendency along this line has been to chromium plate the bumperbars and bumper clamps,y but considerable difficulty has beenexperienced in the plating of the bumper clamps, mainly due to theirinherent structure. It has been customary to form clamps of cast iron orsemi-steel, with the result that the surfaces of such bumper clamps arepitted and very rough. With such rough surfaces it has beenimpossible toobtain a satisfactory chromium plating thereof eveny if the surfaces ofthe bumper clamps have been smoothed by grinding.

It is the object of the present invention to substantially eliminatethis ezgpensive and difficult grinding operation and to form a bumperclamp which is not only initially smooth on its exposed surfaces butwhich @s compact and very rigid. This novel bumper clamp is preferablyformed of sheet metal which is drawn Very deep so as to present a wellreinforced bumping surface and which has its ends inturned to properlyreceive the bumper bars, and which is also provided with nl internalplate lfor receiving the securing o ts. y

Another feature of this invention relates to the manner of `forming abolt receiving plate and the manner of positioning the same within thedeep drawn clamp, whereby such plate may be spot welded to the clampbody proper so as to form a very rigid structure.

In the drawings: ,d Fig. l is a fragmentary elevation of my novel bumperclamp shown in assembled rela tion with the bumper bars.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view'taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. f

Fig. 3 is a rear view of my novel bumper clamp and illustrating themanner of positioning and spot welding a bolt plate within the clamp. 4

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken online' 4 4 yof Fig. 3illustrating thedeep drawn feature of the clamp, and also the arrangement of the flangesand the bolt retaining plate whereby the plane of the plate ispositioned a coni siderable distance from the rear edge of thev clamp. y

- Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Fi 3 illustratineFthe formation and manner o reinforcing the bumperclamp and the manner ofpositioning the bolt retaining plate The bumper clamp may be generalldesig-y nated l vand in addition to the fact t at it is preferably deepdrawn or hollow in cross section it is provided with rounded andinturned ends 2 and 3, whereby to assist in positioning andsecuring thebumper bars in place. Suitable lugs- 4 and 5are formed oneach side ofthe bumper 'clamp and are adapted to cowhereby to position the bumperbars.

This entire bumper clamp `is preferably pact and rigid structure, theouter sur ace of which] is smooth and may be readily adapted to chromiumplating. The clamp itself is not only cheaper and easier to fabricatethan a corresponding cast meta-l clamp, but it is substantially strongerfor the particular use to which it is adapted.;

In order to apply a very rigid reinforcing 'member to receive the bumperbar positioning bolts, I have provided a completely separateplate 6which is U-shaped 1n cross seetion to provide the liangemembers 7 and 8.These flange members 7 and 8 cooperate with the side walls 'of the clampand are preferably so formed as to cooperate adjacent the lugs/4 andv 5.With this plate 6 inserted, as best shown in Fig. 5, it will be obviousthat avery rigid and well reinforced structure is obtained. l v- `Theside flanges 7 yand 8 of the plate member 6 are preferably spot weldedat the points shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, with the result operate withthe inturned portions 2 and 3 structure is obtained, wherebyconsiderable,

pressure may be placed upon the bolts whereby to position and secure thebumper bars in;

place. This is in direct contrast to the cast retaining lugs usuallyused in cast metal clamps which very frequently break or bend. The plate6 is formed of sheet metal of fairly' heavy gage and by reason of thefact that the flanges 7 and 8 are inturned and spot welded, as shown, itwill be obvious that l have not only formed an exceedingly strong boltretaining structure but that the clamp itself is directly reinforced.

ln the modification shown in Fig. 6, l preferably utilize a boltretaining plate 9 which is provided with iianges l() and 1l similar tothe plate 6 and which is `provided with two slots l2 and 13 which are sopositioned as to receive two bolts whereby either two or three bumperbars may be secured in position.

lt will thus be seen that l have provided a pressed steel clamp whichsubstantially eliminates grinding and which only requires a small amountof abrasive action tosmooth and polish the same. This pressed steelclamp not only produces a much better finish than can be secured on acasting, as it is im.- possible to polish out of malleable castings allofthe pits7 with the result that such remaining pits leave a brokensurface that willhinturn leave a broken surface on the plating whichwill set up a rusting action. Obviously a pressed steel clamp beingperfedtly smooth and having an even finish will make possible a smooth,even plating surface.

What l claim is:

'1. An automobile bumper construction,

comprising a bumper clamp7 said clamp having a holler:r body pressedfrom sheet metal whereby to present a smooth exterior surface and asecuring bolt with its head wholly located and anchored on the rear ofsaid hollow body and concealed by said body.

2. Bumper clamp construction for automobile bumpersl. comprising a clampformed of stamped sheet metal, and a member spot welded to the inside ofsaid clamp for receivinga-bu'mper bar securing bolt.

3. A bumper clamp7 comprising a stamped clamp body of sheet metal and abridge back of said'clamp for holding a securing member.

d. Bumper clamp construction for automobile bumpers of the type adaptedto be plated, comprising a stamped sheet metal bumper clamp hollow incross section, and a plate positioned within said hollow clamp andprovided with side iianges spot welded to the side walls of the clamp.

5.. A bumper clamp construction for automobile bumpers of the typeadapted to be plated, comprising a relatively deep hollow clamp formedof sheet metal whereby to present smooth outer surface a sheet metalplate having turned out flanges positioned interiorlyi'of the side wallsof the clamp, the

langeis extending laterally and parallel with the side walls and beingspot welded to such sidewalls. I

6. Bumper clamp construction for automobile bumpers of thetype adaptedto be plated, comprising a relatively deep hollow clamp formed of sheetmetal whereby to present a smooth outer surface,andaslotted plate withlateral flanges positioned interiorly of the side walls of the clamp,the flanges of said plate being spot weldedto the side walls of theclamp.

7. An automobile bumper construction, a bumper clamp, said clampincluding a hollow body of channel shaped cross section pressed fromsheet metal whereby to present a smooth surface and bumper bar fasteningmeans adapted to be secured withinvthe hollow clamp and concealedthereby. f

8. An automobile bumper construction including a bumper clamp shaped toform a poclreted portion in the rear thereof and pressed from sheetmetal whereby to present a smooth surface, a bridge member within thepocketed portion and concealed thereby and bumper bar fastening meanssecured to said member.

9. Bumper clamp construction for automobile bumpers comprising a clampformed of stamped sheet metal and a member welded to the inside of saidclamp and bumper bar fastening means adapted to be secured to saidmember.

l0.A A bumper clamp comprising a stamped clamp body of sheet metalprovided with a pocketed portion in the rear thereof and a reinforcingbridge member located within the pocketed portion and concealed therebyand bumper bar fastening means secured to said reinforcing bridge.

ll. Bumperfclamp construction for automobile bumpers comprising a clampformed of stamped sheet metal of channel shaped cross section, a membersecured within the confines of said clamp and bumper bar fastening meansadapted to be secured to said member.

l2. Bumper clamp construction comprising a stamped clamp *body ofsheetmetal and a bridge rigidly secured to the clamp body and constituting areinforcing means therefor, said bridge having means for receiving abumperbar fastening device.

i3. Bumper clamp construction comprising a stamped clamp body of sheetmetal and a bridge on the back of said clamp forholding a securedmember, said clamp being provided with rearwardly extending lugs adaptedto engage the edgesv of the bumper bars.

1li. bumper clamp construction comprising a sheet metal body of hollowshaped cross section7 a member secured within the hollow clamp and lugsprovided by said clamp body izo for engaging the bumper bars and meansforv securing the clamp to the bars.

l5. Bumper clamp construction for autoJ mobile bumpers comprising aclamp formed of stamped sheet metal, an outwardly extending lug providedby an edge of said clamp or engaging the bumper bar and bumper barfastening means secured to said clamp.

16. Bumper clamp construction for automobile bumpers comprising a clampformed of stamped Sheet met-a1 channel shaped in cross section andprovided with two rearwardly extending side flanges, lugs provided bythe edges of said flanges intermediate the ends of the clamp and bumperbars fastening means adapted to secure said clamp to the bumper bars.

17. Bumper clamp construction for autokmobile bumpers comprising anelongated clamp formed of sheet metal, said clamp having a major andminor axis and being of channelshaped cross section, rearwardly eX-tending lugs proyide'd by said clamp, a bridge member located within thechannel shaped clamp and means for securing the bridge member within thehollow clamp and bumper bar fastening means secured to the' bridge.

18. A bumper clamp construction comprising a body member formed of sheetmetal and shaped to form a poeketed portion in the rear thereof,rearwardly extending lugs provided by the body 'portion intermediate theends thereof lfor extending between the bumper bars, cooperatingelements provided by the end portions of the body member for engaging)other portions of .the bars and bumper ar fastening means secured tosaid clamp.

19. A bumper clamp construction for auto mobile bumpers comprising ahollow body formed of stamped sheet metal and of substantially canoeshape and ,bumper bar fastening means adaptedto be secured to said bodywithin the interior thereof.

- In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

GEORGE H. PALMER.

